My desire to paint is fueled by my desire to explore, and lately what has stoked that desire is the natural world. For me, landscape painting transcends merely recreating a view of a place using paint. It is the device I use to escape the comforts of home and immerse myself in the discovery of not only the world around me, but myself. There is no lack of wisdom to be gained while alone in the forest. It usually presents itself in the form of introspection, humility and the eagerness to find meaning.

The paintings themselves follow a stream of consciousness from one wonder to the next. They are a travel journal where words may have failed, but paint describes the vast array of color and values, the chemistry between sky, land and water, and the absolute power of nature’s forces through mark making and movement.

Because I am a storyteller at heart, simply sharing my paintings falls short. Since my impulse is to share these experiences in a broader sense, I include the coordinates to each location with my titles. Some are exact; others will get the viewers close enough to discover their own story.

What words could not express: The Iceland Series (solo show at Core Gallery, Seattle) statement:

My latest work begins to express what words could not: the awe and wonder that I felt when I visited Iceland.

My desire to paint is fueled by my desire to explore. I search out places that I see in my dreams, hiking and camping to immerse myself in my surroundings, then returning home to paint what I found. For me, landscape painting transcends merely recreating a view of a place with paint; it is the device I use to escape the comforts of home and immerse myself in the discovery of not only the world around me, but myself.

This past spring, my sense of adventure led me farther afield, and I booked a trip to Iceland. For nearly two weeks I meandered all over this rugged island, taking in its beauty and power, at times feeling incredulous of its very existence. In all my travels, never have I spent as much time, jaw agape, surrounded by such beauty.

My travels took me around the famed Ring Road, which at times is broad and reliable, and other times is simply an implied path. It’s a collection of many fjords, majestic plateaus, snow-capped truncated peaks, waterfalls, the world’s widest stretch of glacial till, rolling sheep strewn hills, strikingly blue glacial lagoons, otherworldly volcanic craters, bubbling sulfur pools, jagged cliffs, and haunting windswept black sand beaches. With “marine twilight” for merely one hour, the days were long, and an exercise in complete sensory overload. I traveled as far as the car could go, sometimes further than it should have, and then ventured yet further, hiking, wading, and climbing, all the time incessantly snapping the shutter of my camera. For as much as this trip was about exploration, I embarked on it knowing that my ultimate goal was to create.

In the spirit of Kerouac, this “painted essay” travels from one wonder to the next in a stream of consciousness, capturing the many spectacles that I saw. Where words failed me, I’ve used paint to describe the vast array of color and values I was attracted to, and the captivating, dynamic chemistry between the sky and land, and water. Every turn brought a new experience of discovery, and so I’ve used a variety of vantage points to place the viewer within the landscape as I experienced it. In an effort to more fully share the experience, I’ve included the coordinates of each place, encouraging viewers to set out on their own adventures and find these places for themselves. Some of the coordinates will deliver them to the exact spot that inspired me to paint, and others will get them close enough to build their own experience with less of my influence.

I have just begun processing this marvel of a place that has had a profound affect upon me, but expect more to come.

2017

Allegories from my subconscious (solo show at Core Gallery, Seattle)

This series explores the intriguing overlap that occurs between visions and places that I see when I’m asleep versus awake.

Sleep has always been elusive for me, but when I’m able to dream, the visions and places in those dreams are incredibly vivid. During the day, when I’m tired and in need of peace, I hike in the woods and along the water. I always assumed that these activities were unconnected, but lately, I’ve been finding surprising overlaps between the things that I see when I’m asleep and when I’m awake. My torment has worn the veil between dreams and reality thin. One experience is as vivid as the other, and I’m often left questioning their meaning and the places they take me.

2013 - 2014

Brief Statement for Confluence Gallery's "Woman: Lady. Girl. Female. Chick. Dame. Broad. Lassie. Wench. Maiden. An Artist’s Interpretation." show in which I was asked to explore what i believe it means to be a woman:

A woman is half of the human equation—the half that provides life. She is a powerful, sensual creature who shows beauty in many shapes and forms, but also complexity and fortitude…all while establishing her equality in what’s sometimes considered to be a “man’s world.”

Overall statement:

Storytelling is actually the core element of my art—the foundation upon which my paintings are built. I’m intrigued by early myths, traditional folklore, the histories, and the classics. Each painting I make explores one of these things, and every element in my compositions has symbolic meaning that supports that story.

I believe that storytelling is one of the basic principles that has shaped who we are, and has helped us on some level to understand the human condition. Stories haven’t always been so dry, superficial, and easy to consume (my problem with most literature and movies today); there was a time when they challenged us, and forced us to think by not supplying all the answers. In some way, I’m searching for the root of our beliefs, the origins of our religions, our political views, and the events that created our current world view. Perhaps most importantly, I’m fascinated by how many of the basic building blocks of our society have been forgotten or changed to a point beyond recognition. Looking to the past is my attempt at understanding us, and certainly has become a path to understanding myself..

2010 - 2012

Shadows, Persona, and Trickery:

Shadows, Persona, and Trickery is a collection of paintings which draws influence from the effects of magic and religion as cultural phenomena that shaped our early societies, the disconnect of the modern mind from these theories and beliefs, the innate manipulative quality that we as humans possess...and a search for the soul, which I believe is the construct that holds all of these ideas together in our collective unconscious.

The work is heavily influenced by the events, rituals, and belief systems that are chronicled in James Frazer’s The Golden Bough. Each painting is laced with multiple layers of meaning and symbolism, some specific to a single tale or belief, and others exploring the broad similarities between vastly different societies and religions. A few points of departure, however, make the content uniquely mine. While the book references every aspect of a particular belief or custom, my body of work focuses on the broader psychological relationship between figure and symbol. And unlike Frazer’s strict adherence to an anthropological account which is utterly void of self, I insert my own perspective and bias, perpetuating the process of transformation these ideas have taken since their origins in our early thought.

While thinking about origins of thought and belief in our species, there was also a lot of time to consider our innate deceptive qualities. Simply looking at what is included (and excluded) in historical or religious texts is a perfect example of this. Although I don’t believe we are all up to no good, we do have a way of manipulating situations in order to achieve a particular outcome. With this in mind, I decided to give a nod to Carl Jung’s archetype of the “trickster”, the character that has a knack for breaking the rules—sometimes intentionally, sometimes not—for an outcome that falls on the positive side of the coin. The multiple hands on each figure represent the parlor trick, or sleight of hand, in all of us.

Most of my paintings feature a variety of symbols. Many of them, for example, are embellished with a string. Although the string has taken many forms and meanings throughout my work over the years, its manifestation in this body of work is a connecting point between our past and contemporary modes of thinking. My work also uses symbols and visual cues once widely known—i.e. fauna as the embodiment of a specific god, flora to indicate worship of a goddess—and combines them with figures adorned in contemporary attire and posturing. There is a physical and psychological disconnect between these things, and although the string doesn’t tie them together, it symbolizes the “life” and “being” between them and the interconnectedness of ideas. The string is also red, a color indicating life, and much like its inclusion in early wedding dresses symbolizes the basic human nature in us all.

My work is about the disconnect between historical rituals and beliefs and the roles of figures in a contemporary setting; it focuses on the space between these two worlds, sometimes a vast chasm and other times merely skin deep. Ultimately, however, I believe that my work is not completely done until viewers seek me out to discuss its meaning and how it relates to their experiences, beliefs, and their way of thinking.

2009 - 2010

Histories - magic - and trickery:

With Histories - magic - and trickery, I’ve continued to explore a few of the different themes that have cropped up in my work over the years. The connection between oral and written histories and our daily lives, the complex relationship between Life and Death, the personification of Death as the “working man” with tasks and desires, and in a new twist, the use of masks and multiple hands to depict the elements of trickery and deceit that are almost always present in human nature. In addition, hidden deep within all of these or perhaps the string connecting them all, a desire to find the soul.

This work draws inspiration from the mythology that shaped our early civilizations, the folklore passed down through the generations that served as lessons for children, as well my daily observances of these things thinly veiled by our modern perceptions of good and evil. Although I have relied heavily on Homer, Aesop, and the Grimm brothers the past couple of years, my focus has switched and references to imagery and themes from James Frazer's The Golden Bough have begun to appear.

Some of the work is focused on a single critical element, while other paintings are intricately laced with symbols and references, indicating that a greater story is at hand. I like to create paintings with imagery that generates discussion, but leaves enough room for the viewer to use their own imagination and develop a unique interpretation of the painting’s meaning. The story is yours to finish.

2009

The King of change:

This body of work explores the ordinary routine of Death. Far from the embodiment of evil as seen by many cultures, I see Death as a part of each of us, ever present, tasked with maintaining a balance on life, and guiding us through a series of changes. The act of death is not an end, it is the beginning of the next stage in our soul’s journey; Death is merely waiting for the point at which we are ready to leave the Earthly constraints of our bodies, and guide us to the next stage. For this I have called him, and the body of work, The King of Change.

There are many places I have drawn my ideas of Death from, recently it was my reading of the Grimm’s Fairytale, “Godfather Death.” In early Germanic traditions he was seen as the keeper of a vast hall of candles, each representing an individual life. As the candle burned, so your life changed, and as the candle started to fizzle near its end, your life became that much closer to its end; upon the extinguishing of your particular flame, Death would make himself known and guide you to the afterlife. This theory of Death as a “guide” has carried over in many other cultures; it has been given the title, Psycopomop, literally meaning the “guider of souls.”

In these paintings, some explore him, some his actions, some even his interaction with living beings. The candles are a constant. Gone are the ghastly portrayals of him ending life, and the hauntingly empty face of the deceased; instead he is pictured in a dance with the living, sharing in life and in the light.

Amalgamation:

A concoction of visual allegories inspired by Aesop’s Fables, Grimm’s Fairytales, and mythology.

I am an incessant reader, forever searching out the connections between the histories and the people that I surround myself with. Recently introduced to the archetypes, I’ve found a bastion of inspiration in the likes of Aesop, the Brother’s Grimm and Homer. This idea of drawing connections from the past to my peers has appeared and reappeared arbitrarily throughout my painting career, but only recently have I dedicated an entire body of work to it. It’s sometimes macabre and mysterious, at other times light hearted or satirical, and my use of mark making and color acts as a binder for this allegorical and rather fluid collection of paintings.

chris sheridan Portfolios

BLOG SECTIONS

Statements

2018

Landscape Statement:

My desire to paint is fueled by my desire to explore, and lately what has stoked that desire is the natural world. For me, landscape painting transcends merely recreating a view of a place using paint. It is the device I use to escape the comforts of home and immerse myself in the discovery of not only the world around me, but myself. There is no lack of wisdom to be gained while alone in the forest. It usually presents itself in the form of introspection, humility and the eagerness to find meaning.

The paintings themselves follow a stream of consciousness from one wonder to the next. They are a travel journal where words may have failed, but paint describes the vast array of color and values, the chemistry between sky, land and water, and the absolute power of nature’s forces through mark making and movement.

Because I am a storyteller at heart, simply sharing my paintings falls short. Since my impulse is to share these experiences in a broader sense, I include the coordinates to each location with my titles. Some are exact; others will get the viewers close enough to discover their own story.

What words could not express: The Iceland Series (solo show at Core Gallery, Seattle) statement:

My latest work begins to express what words could not: the awe and wonder that I felt when I visited Iceland.

My desire to paint is fueled by my desire to explore. I search out places that I see in my dreams, hiking and camping to immerse myself in my surroundings, then returning home to paint what I found. For me, landscape painting transcends merely recreating a view of a place with paint; it is the device I use to escape the comforts of home and immerse myself in the discovery of not only the world around me, but myself.

This past spring, my sense of adventure led me farther afield, and I booked a trip to Iceland. For nearly two weeks I meandered all over this rugged island, taking in its beauty and power, at times feeling incredulous of its very existence. In all my travels, never have I spent as much time, jaw agape, surrounded by such beauty.

My travels took me around the famed Ring Road, which at times is broad and reliable, and other times is simply an implied path. It’s a collection of many fjords, majestic plateaus, snow-capped truncated peaks, waterfalls, the world’s widest stretch of glacial till, rolling sheep strewn hills, strikingly blue glacial lagoons, otherworldly volcanic craters, bubbling sulfur pools, jagged cliffs, and haunting windswept black sand beaches. With “marine twilight” for merely one hour, the days were long, and an exercise in complete sensory overload. I traveled as far as the car could go, sometimes further than it should have, and then ventured yet further, hiking, wading, and climbing, all the time incessantly snapping the shutter of my camera. For as much as this trip was about exploration, I embarked on it knowing that my ultimate goal was to create.

In the spirit of Kerouac, this “painted essay” travels from one wonder to the next in a stream of consciousness, capturing the many spectacles that I saw. Where words failed me, I’ve used paint to describe the vast array of color and values I was attracted to, and the captivating, dynamic chemistry between the sky and land, and water. Every turn brought a new experience of discovery, and so I’ve used a variety of vantage points to place the viewer within the landscape as I experienced it. In an effort to more fully share the experience, I’ve included the coordinates of each place, encouraging viewers to set out on their own adventures and find these places for themselves. Some of the coordinates will deliver them to the exact spot that inspired me to paint, and others will get them close enough to build their own experience with less of my influence.

I have just begun processing this marvel of a place that has had a profound affect upon me, but expect more to come.

2017

Allegories from my subconscious (solo show at Core Gallery, Seattle)

This series explores the intriguing overlap that occurs between visions and places that I see when I’m asleep versus awake.

Sleep has always been elusive for me, but when I’m able to dream, the visions and places in those dreams are incredibly vivid. During the day, when I’m tired and in need of peace, I hike in the woods and along the water. I always assumed that these activities were unconnected, but lately, I’ve been finding surprising overlaps between the things that I see when I’m asleep and when I’m awake. My torment has worn the veil between dreams and reality thin. One experience is as vivid as the other, and I’m often left questioning their meaning and the places they take me.

2013 - 2014

Brief Statement for Confluence Gallery's "Woman: Lady. Girl. Female. Chick. Dame. Broad. Lassie. Wench. Maiden. An Artist’s Interpretation." show in which I was asked to explore what i believe it means to be a woman:

A woman is half of the human equation—the half that provides life. She is a powerful, sensual creature who shows beauty in many shapes and forms, but also complexity and fortitude…all while establishing her equality in what’s sometimes considered to be a “man’s world.”

Overall statement:

Storytelling is actually the core element of my art—the foundation upon which my paintings are built. I’m intrigued by early myths, traditional folklore, the histories, and the classics. Each painting I make explores one of these things, and every element in my compositions has symbolic meaning that supports that story.

I believe that storytelling is one of the basic principles that has shaped who we are, and has helped us on some level to understand the human condition. Stories haven’t always been so dry, superficial, and easy to consume (my problem with most literature and movies today); there was a time when they challenged us, and forced us to think by not supplying all the answers. In some way, I’m searching for the root of our beliefs, the origins of our religions, our political views, and the events that created our current world view. Perhaps most importantly, I’m fascinated by how many of the basic building blocks of our society have been forgotten or changed to a point beyond recognition. Looking to the past is my attempt at understanding us, and certainly has become a path to understanding myself..

2010 - 2012

Shadows, Persona, and Trickery:

Shadows, Persona, and Trickery is a collection of paintings which draws influence from the effects of magic and religion as cultural phenomena that shaped our early societies, the disconnect of the modern mind from these theories and beliefs, the innate manipulative quality that we as humans possess...and a search for the soul, which I believe is the construct that holds all of these ideas together in our collective unconscious.

The work is heavily influenced by the events, rituals, and belief systems that are chronicled in James Frazer’s The Golden Bough. Each painting is laced with multiple layers of meaning and symbolism, some specific to a single tale or belief, and others exploring the broad similarities between vastly different societies and religions. A few points of departure, however, make the content uniquely mine. While the book references every aspect of a particular belief or custom, my body of work focuses on the broader psychological relationship between figure and symbol. And unlike Frazer’s strict adherence to an anthropological account which is utterly void of self, I insert my own perspective and bias, perpetuating the process of transformation these ideas have taken since their origins in our early thought.

While thinking about origins of thought and belief in our species, there was also a lot of time to consider our innate deceptive qualities. Simply looking at what is included (and excluded) in historical or religious texts is a perfect example of this. Although I don’t believe we are all up to no good, we do have a way of manipulating situations in order to achieve a particular outcome. With this in mind, I decided to give a nod to Carl Jung’s archetype of the “trickster”, the character that has a knack for breaking the rules—sometimes intentionally, sometimes not—for an outcome that falls on the positive side of the coin. The multiple hands on each figure represent the parlor trick, or sleight of hand, in all of us.

Most of my paintings feature a variety of symbols. Many of them, for example, are embellished with a string. Although the string has taken many forms and meanings throughout my work over the years, its manifestation in this body of work is a connecting point between our past and contemporary modes of thinking. My work also uses symbols and visual cues once widely known—i.e. fauna as the embodiment of a specific god, flora to indicate worship of a goddess—and combines them with figures adorned in contemporary attire and posturing. There is a physical and psychological disconnect between these things, and although the string doesn’t tie them together, it symbolizes the “life” and “being” between them and the interconnectedness of ideas. The string is also red, a color indicating life, and much like its inclusion in early wedding dresses symbolizes the basic human nature in us all.

My work is about the disconnect between historical rituals and beliefs and the roles of figures in a contemporary setting; it focuses on the space between these two worlds, sometimes a vast chasm and other times merely skin deep. Ultimately, however, I believe that my work is not completely done until viewers seek me out to discuss its meaning and how it relates to their experiences, beliefs, and their way of thinking.

2009 - 2010

Histories - magic - and trickery:

With Histories - magic - and trickery, I’ve continued to explore a few of the different themes that have cropped up in my work over the years. The connection between oral and written histories and our daily lives, the complex relationship between Life and Death, the personification of Death as the “working man” with tasks and desires, and in a new twist, the use of masks and multiple hands to depict the elements of trickery and deceit that are almost always present in human nature. In addition, hidden deep within all of these or perhaps the string connecting them all, a desire to find the soul.

This work draws inspiration from the mythology that shaped our early civilizations, the folklore passed down through the generations that served as lessons for children, as well my daily observances of these things thinly veiled by our modern perceptions of good and evil. Although I have relied heavily on Homer, Aesop, and the Grimm brothers the past couple of years, my focus has switched and references to imagery and themes from James Frazer's The Golden Bough have begun to appear.

Some of the work is focused on a single critical element, while other paintings are intricately laced with symbols and references, indicating that a greater story is at hand. I like to create paintings with imagery that generates discussion, but leaves enough room for the viewer to use their own imagination and develop a unique interpretation of the painting’s meaning. The story is yours to finish.

2009

The King of change:

This body of work explores the ordinary routine of Death. Far from the embodiment of evil as seen by many cultures, I see Death as a part of each of us, ever present, tasked with maintaining a balance on life, and guiding us through a series of changes. The act of death is not an end, it is the beginning of the next stage in our soul’s journey; Death is merely waiting for the point at which we are ready to leave the Earthly constraints of our bodies, and guide us to the next stage. For this I have called him, and the body of work, The King of Change.

There are many places I have drawn my ideas of Death from, recently it was my reading of the Grimm’s Fairytale, “Godfather Death.” In early Germanic traditions he was seen as the keeper of a vast hall of candles, each representing an individual life. As the candle burned, so your life changed, and as the candle started to fizzle near its end, your life became that much closer to its end; upon the extinguishing of your particular flame, Death would make himself known and guide you to the afterlife. This theory of Death as a “guide” has carried over in many other cultures; it has been given the title, Psycopomop, literally meaning the “guider of souls.”

In these paintings, some explore him, some his actions, some even his interaction with living beings. The candles are a constant. Gone are the ghastly portrayals of him ending life, and the hauntingly empty face of the deceased; instead he is pictured in a dance with the living, sharing in life and in the light.

Amalgamation:

A concoction of visual allegories inspired by Aesop’s Fables, Grimm’s Fairytales, and mythology.

I am an incessant reader, forever searching out the connections between the histories and the people that I surround myself with. Recently introduced to the archetypes, I’ve found a bastion of inspiration in the likes of Aesop, the Brother’s Grimm and Homer. This idea of drawing connections from the past to my peers has appeared and reappeared arbitrarily throughout my painting career, but only recently have I dedicated an entire body of work to it. It’s sometimes macabre and mysterious, at other times light hearted or satirical, and my use of mark making and color acts as a binder for this allegorical and rather fluid collection of paintings.